An exclusive report from El Nacional reveals that FC Barcelona has assigned a hefty price tag of €80 million ($87 million) to one of their star players. The Catalan giants went to great lengths last summer to secure the services of Jules Kounde from Sevilla. In fact, it seemed like the Frenchman was on the verge of joining Premier League giants Chelsea during the transfer window, but Barcelona intervened and made him wait until they activated certain financial measures.

Once the necessary steps were taken, Barcelona made a €50 million ($54 million) offer to Sevilla, successfully acquiring Kounde. Despite being an exceptional player, Kounde found himself integrated into the squad of head coach Xavi Hernandez, although not in his preferred position as a center-back. Instead, he was often tasked with filling in as a right-back, as Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo formed an impressive partnership at the heart of the defense. Follow your favourite La Liga team with attractive betting odds from Nextbet. 

Nevertheless, Kounde played a crucial role in a formidable back line that conceded the fewest goals among the top five leagues in Europe. His contributions helped Barcelona secure their first La Liga title under Xavi’s management and their first Spanish top-flight crown in four years.

However, towards the end of the season, reports from Relevo suggested that Kounde informed Xavi about his willingness to entertain offers from other clubs interested in signing him. Subsequently, the player denied these claims, creating some confusion about his future intentions.

Now, less than a month after this incident, El Nacional reports that club president Joan Laporta has made the decision to place Kounde on the market for a substantial sum of €80 million. This move would enable Barcelona to recoup their initial investment in the player and potentially generate a profit. Kounde has become an “unexpected sacrifice,” but this decision aligns with the board’s established plan to sell players and reduce the wage bill by €200 million ($215 million) to maintain Financial Fair Play compliance.

Barcelona may feel confident about their options in central defense, considering the arrival of other players such as Inigo Martinez and the highly-regarded 18-year-old Senegalese talent Mikayil Faye, for whom they have agreed to pay €5 million ($5.4 million), according to information from Fabrizio Romano.

It is worth noting that Chelsea and their rivals from northwestern England, Liverpool, have previously shown interest in capturing the services of Jules Kounde. These clubs may once again be tempted to pursue the talented defender given the opportunity presented by Barcelona’s decision to make him available for transfer. Get the latest updates from the world of sports only on Nextbet Sports.